Session #1 10:15-11:15 A Sustainable Professional Development Model: Blended Learning and Teacher Inquiry (Lecture -Colin Harris) @ 6E

  • Framed demographics: Inspired by D.Warlick's infographics - love it!
  • Academc and social goals
  • Play-based inquiry-driven full day Kindergarten
  • Collaborative Inquiry (plan, act, share cycles) based on Richard Sager's work
  • Seven Principles: relevant, collaboration, reflective (need to embed time), iterative (cycles back...spiraling), reasoned (in, de & adductive reasoning), adaptive (to student needs), reciprocal (connection between theory & practice)
  • Clarifying vision (playful), develop an action plan (learning goals), develop action plan, data analysis (quality & quantitative...from teachers & staff too), sharing (inform our future practice)
  • 4c's: co- planning, teaching, debriefing, reflecting
  • Used a Ning to share
  • Included the librarian in the Learning Commons team
  • Had a range of inquiry questions (big & small). Questions that were important to them.
  • Use the sticky notes: current state --> desired state
  • Gathering data (levels 1-4, by student-circle pictorial), used "Linoit" like Wallwisher - multimedia sticky notes board
  • Summarize & share (visualize their journey maps... becomes a conversation starter) & then used "show me" file to add the audio file & add lines to point. Tools to share within the group, not outside.
  • Project had student achievement & engagement goals, teacher practice (notice, name & highlight good practices) & facilitator learning (improve process)
  • Collect data (observations, conversations, products of student work)
  • Teacher practice (inquiry...from covering to uncovering), (deep understanding of their content), (prompts that help generate thinking & discussion), (role of the librarian...providing resources, time & space - deep understanding of curriculum)
  • Designing the Learning (visual representation)
  • Librarians were anchors of the team, Literacy RT, classroom teacher - members of the team
  • Voice & choice: based on their student needs & their personal interests, personalized within the context of the school, teacher choice
  • Not too much time in between the sessions (4-6weeks) - can loose the momentum
  • Keep at least 3 members on the team
  • Coffee, carbs & chocolate
  • IPads to record student thinking
  • Mobile learning devices became an integral part of the process
  • Adobe connect (for video conferencing) doesn't work on the iPad
  • Being invitational to join
  • Written reports (informal & formal)...both are important
  • Inquiry with students & teachers is messy, engage teachers to construct their own learning, it is ok where people start out -personalized to what each teacher needs at a particular time

Kim Stolys
Curriculum Consultant Collaborative Inquiry & Assessment
Kimberly.stoles@yrdsb.edu.on.ca

  • Begin with the end in mind - Organic, iterative process asking the right question of where we want to go, we can't tell you of what we are doing. Provide support for helping teachers articulate what they want their students to know and be able to do.

Melissa Murray
Curriculum Consultant K-12 School Libraries & Inquiry-Based Learning
melissa.murray@yrdsb.edu.on.ca

Session #2 1:15-2:15 Innovative Learning Spaces: The Role of Technology (Lecture -Jim Heyndrickx) @4 SDCC

Am blessed to jump in on #hste huaka'i with Carmen to visit High Tech High
  • High tech high (original, Explorer Elementary, HTH Media Arts)


Session #3 2:45-4:00 deforestACTION: Student-led, Project-based Learning That Works (Keynote - Willie Smits) @ Hall B1 SDCC

  • Learning in action: conservationist, animal rights activist, living in balance in nature (engage students world wide in Borneo rainforest...17,000 students raised $80,000.
  • Indonesia
  • Problem-based approach to take action to stop deforestation
  • Connections between local & global needs
  • Many conflicts going on
  • 14 people selected in a global casting call to be an Eco-warriors, taught by the local people, forest=future
  • Webinars from Borneo, take a leap and join the movement!
  • The Engagement Challenge (46% of students were bored)
  • Developing real world connections with their environment
  • Students are leading today! High Noon 20 real world global problems (NAIS challenge)
  • Earthwatch alert, do what you can do to change the world, help students know passion, have a voice to make a difference, one person can be the change